ATLANTA -- The Coca-Cola Co. wants to recycle or reuse 100 percent of its aluminum drink cans sold in the United States, although that goal is a long-term target, the company admits.

Currently, one out of every two aluminum cans is recycled, the company told the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Aluminum recycling is efficient, using 95 percent less energy than making aluminum from raw materials. Recycling the cans also lowers carbon emissions by 95 percent. Today, Coca-Cola beverage cans contain an average of 60 percent recycled aluminum.

Previously, Coke had set another goal to recycle or reuse 100 percent of its PET plastic bottles. Last year, the company shelled out $60 million for a succession of recycling programs, such as supporting RecycleBank’s curbside collection effort and building the world’s largest PET bottle-to-bottle recycling facility in South Carolina.

“We established Coca-Cola Recycling to help increase recycling rates in North America and to ensure that our system has ready access to recycled material,” John Burgess, president and CEO of Coca-Cola Recycling, said in a press release. “By the end of 2008, Coca-Cola Recycling will recycle more than 100 million pounds each of PET and aluminum.”

Also last year, Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. formed Coca-Cola Recycling LLC to regain and salvage packaging resources the company uses.